Mar 27, 2000
*** "ANYONE WHO denies it is
frightened of saying it. I could never do a David Copperfield or an Oliver Twist, and
actors mark their territory doing these sorts of things.'
(Black British actress Diane Parish on how her colour of the skin has
stymied her career)
*** "THE UNITED States must bear its share of
responsibility for the problems that have arisen in U.S.-Iranian relations."
(US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's overture of rapprochement
with the Islamic Republic at a conference held in Washington on the eve of Iranian new
year)
*** "IF FINANCIAL resources can be made available to
the poor on terms and conditions that are appropriate and reasonable, then these millions
of small people with their millions of small pursuits can add up to create the biggest
development wonder."
(Founder and chief of Bangladesh's Graeman Bank which has started an
innovative lending programme to buy and commercially operate mobile phones to help the
poorest of the poor in rural areas, especially women)
*** "I HAVE been there three times and lost. And the
one time I didn't go I won . . . I am going to go there. I don't mind if I lose. I would
rather be there and lose than not be there and win."
(Actor Michael Caine, an Oscar nominee saying that he has learned to
perfect the loser's smile at the Oscar ceremony- as all good actors should)
*** "I WOULD rather go while I am being urged to stay
rather than stay beyond the time when I should go."
(Former British Prime Minister John Major defending his decision to
quit active politics early this month)
*** "AUSTRIA DOES not need a pocket-sized Napoleon . .
. France exports good wine, but recently a lot of nonsense too."
(Joerg Haider breaking his silence following his resignation as leader
of Austria's far right Freedom Party criticizing French President Jacques Chirac as well
as Pinocchio- the wooden puppet whose nose grew each time he told a lie)
*** "NO ONE can ignore how much the Palestinian people
have had to suffer in recent decades. Your torment is before the eyes of the world. And it
has gone on too long."
(Pope John Paul II pleading for a Palestinian homeland during his
historic visit to the West Bank town of Bethlehem)
*** "THIS VERDICT has proved just how valuable our
struggle for human rights and democracy is."
(Turkish Virtue Party leader Recai Kutan commenting on one-year jail
term awarded to former Islamist prime minister Necmettin Erbakan for an 'offensive speech'
in 1994)
*** "IT IS frankly outrageous that loan conditions are
used to promote policy reforms-- such as agricultural market liberalization, rapid trade
liberalization, financial market deregulation-- which would be rejected in G7
countries."
(Debate advocating that world bodies such as the IMF would be good only
if they were reformed)
*** "ONLY INDIA can determine its own interests. I do
not presume to speak for you or tell you what to decide."
(US President Bill Clinton speaking to a meeting of joint houses of
parliament in New Delhi about India's nuclear policies)
*** "MR. GORE, I'm not going to let you get away with
it. We're not going to be fooled by somebody who says one thing and absolutely does
something else."
(Republican US presidential nominee George W. Bush calling his
Democratic opponent Al Gore phony, cutthroat and a stalking-horse for elitist liberals)
*** "IT TAKES a brave man, or a foolish one, to step
between mortal enemies spoiling for a fight."
(The Economist's comment on President Bill Clinton's visit to India and
Pakistan)
Edited by Syed M. Aslam
